Ore-lax: Microemulsion-Based Gel for Muscle Pain Relief

Ore-lax, a novel microemulsion-based gel containing oregano essential oil, is a promising topical formulation for muscle pain relief. Oregano essential oil is rich in carvacrol, a natural compound that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anesthetic activities. Microemulsion technology is used to enhance both the physical and chemical stability of Ore-lax formulations. Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable systems which require no specific or sophisticated technology to be formulated. Therefore, low cost of production is one of the economic benefits of microemulsion at the industry level. In addition, large scale production is easily achievable. Ore-lax microemulsion with the small internal droplet size of around 180 nm can result in enhanced carvacrol efficacy, prolonged muscle pain relief, and non-irritation.

Ore-lax is suggested as a mild formulation for topical application since it exhibits no cytotoxic effect on the HaCaT keratinocyte cell line and possesses the ability to reduce the irritation effect of oregano essential oil. Ore-lax has undergone testing in 40 human volunteers for efficacy and satisfaction. Therefore, Ore-lax is suitable for people of almost all ages who encounter muscle pain from either office syndrome or excessive exercise.

The technology provider is seeking collaboration opportunities with partners who are interested to further develop Ore-lax and/or incorporate Ore-lax actives into enhanced product offerings for muscle pain relief. 

Ore-lax is a microemulsion-based gel that contains oregano essential oil with nanoscale internal droplet size of about 180 nm, making it an attractive transparent gel.

Advantages of Ore-lax:

• Greater satisfaction: Aesthetic appearance, fast absorption into skin, non-greasy texture upon application, no irritation caused
• Improved pain relief efficacy with longer duration of action
• Stable during a three-year shelf life
• Because Microemulsions develop spontaneously and are thermodynamically stable, Ore-lax requires no high-tech equipment to manufacture and can be easily scaled up
• Given its nano-scale droplet size, microemulsion has the potential to better transport carvacrol into the skin layer. As a result, the pain alleviation efficacy is noticeably improved
• After the first application, Ore-lax reduced the pain score from 6.2 to 4.9 in tested volunteers
• Microemulsion is the main technology feature of Ore-lax presenting benefits of both efficacy and safety.

The global topical pain relief market size was valued at $8,864.0 million in 2019. It is projected to reach $12,219.7 million by 2027 at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2020 to 2027.

Potential applications of the technology:

• Ore-lax is a potential natural pain relief formulation for people of all ages who suffer from muscle discomfort as a result of office syndrome, excessive activity, etc.
• Ore-lax can also be used to treat joint pain, arthritis, and other ailments in the elderly
• Because of its natural components, Ore-lax may be used on children and all ages who have been bitten by an insect or have skin irritation
• Ore-lax could be used as an alternative to oral dosage form, injection, and physical therapy for muscular pain relief

• Ore-lax is an appealing natural muscular pain relief formulation with excellent efficacy and presents no side effects or discomfort
• Because of its thermodynamic stability, Ore-lax requires low cost of production